thelaniafandomcom-20200213-history
Cyneward Atreus
Cyneward Atreus is the last remaining member of the Paladin order, and the leader of the Ivory Brigade. A half-demon struggling with his heritage and the immense losses he has endured, his betrayal at the hands of his former friend Drythe Hallover only further impacts his mental state, and he often finds himself questioning if he is fit to lead anyone. He is a central protagonist of Dawn of Shadow. Cyneward is particularly active during 122 SE, though his adventure technically began during 121 SE. Appearance Powers & Abilities History Cyneward is a young half-demon hailing from the kingdom of Feora. As a child, he enjoyed a comfortable life with his family living on the outskirts of the city, when tragedy suddenly struck. One day, after playing outside, Cyneward returned home to find his father, mother, and sister all victims of some sort of assassination. Left alone and crying for hours on end, he was eventually discovered by a patrolling knight by the name of Malith Vehron. Reporting the incident and bringing the boy to the safety of the barracks, Malith's superiors suggested he bring the boy to an orphanage, but the warm-hearted knight found himself unable to do so. Instead, he took Cyneward under his wing, and at the boy's behest, would take him on as his apprentice some day. Once Cyneward was old enough to properly wield a blade, Malith taught him basic combat skills, and granted him the position of 'Honor Knight'. Blissfully ignorant of the fact that this position was not regarded with any level of significance, and equated to him being little more than a Squire, Cyneward embraced his new role with open arms and was tasked with reporting any suspicious or dangerous activity to Malith or the nearest knight. However, he took this to mean that he was supposed to eliminate any dangerous threats before they became a problem, on his own. During his time as an Honor Knight, Cyneward befriended numerous people, including Divona Arethina, Denerius Belfore, and Drythe Hallover. Unfortunately, Cyneward would never complete his training with Malith. As a result of Cyneward's negligence of his duties, a mysterious and destructive force of evil dubbed the 'Strifespawn' descended upon Feora, assaulting the capital and turning it into a war zone in the blink of an eye. Fighting alongside his friends, Cyneward battled through his home in an attempt to push this new enemy back, crossing paths with Eoforhilde Algoran along the way, surprised to find the fellow knight aiding the Strifespawn. After fighting across Feora, Cyneward crossed paths with Malith, calling out to him while his guardian and mentor was locked in combat with one of the Strifespawn masters. This distraction was Malith's undoing, and he was killed as a result of his compassion. Losing his home and what semblance of a family he had left, Cyneward fled along with the other refugees to Nayavere, who were saved by Sir Ramarith, an old friend of Malith's who was almost like an uncle to Cyneward. The following months would continue to be harrowing for the boy. It was revealed in Malith's will that as his final act he officially named Cyneward a Paladin; an elite knight of an old Feoran order, renowned for their legendary skill in combat, and their immense contribution and sacrifice during V'lithe's war against Aethyrlan. As he had been only remaining member, Malith left Cyneward as the last Paladin. Ramarith offered to train Cyneward further, and would complete the training his old friend began. Eventually, under Ramarith's wing, the young man became a capable knight, and set out to lead what would become known as the Ivory Brigade in their collective quest to return the Strifespawn whence they came, and reclaim the land stolen by them. His adventure had only just begun. Personality Though he was once a brash young man whose cocky nature knew no bounds, the fall of Feora and his harsh training that followed changed Cyneward. Quickly maturing he no longer taunts his enemies, instead showing them respect unless they anger him or he is facing Strifespawn. No longer does he make a mockery of his allies, but instead he treasures each of his friends and treats them kindly and fairly. He is determined to fight to his last breath against the Strifespawn and their allies, to save innocent people the pain of losing homes, loved ones, and their own lives. Through this determination, he often appears to be a calm and inspiring leader with an unbreakable resolve, and a reliable friend with a heart of gold. Trivia * Despite not being related to him at all, Cyneward is often noted to bear an increasingly striking resemblance to his recently deceased guardian Malith Vehron, in terms of both appearance and personality. * Cyneward's distinctive 'Crossbracer' - a sort of mini-crossbow fixed to his bracer - is a somewhat unique weapon, likely of dwarven make. It would later inspire the concept for Cuddy Kendon's 'Chainbracer'. Category:Characters Category:Heroes Category:Dawn of Shadow